Improvement in machines for cutting type



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN JOS. CH. SMITH, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR CUTTING TYPE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 31,1333, dated February5, 1861.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN JosEPH CHARLES SMITH, ofPhiladelphia, in thecounty of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a newand Improved Machine for Cutting Type; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, formingapart ofthisspecitication, in which- Figure l represents a plan or top view of thisinvention. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of the same, the linerv x, Fig. l, indicating theplane of section.

Similar letters of reference in both views indicate corresponding parts.

The object ot' this invention is a simple and efcient machine forcutting types from a solid block, the surface of which is formed intotypes Iat such distances apart that a saw may be passed through betweenthem withont injury tothe types. Such blocks, which may be formed by theprocess described in Letters Patent granted to me September 20, 1859,and reissued April 10, 1860, or in any other convenient manner, Ipropose to cut up first into strips containing one type in width and alarge number of types in length, in such a position that the requirednicks or notches can be made into all the types contained in one of thestrips by one operation, and after the strips have thus been prepared Ipropose to cut them up into single types. This operation is one of greatnicety, since it is necessary to cut the types perfectly even and ofuniform thickness.

My invention consists in the arrangement of a reciprocating cutter, incombination with an automatically-moving gripping-jaw, and with anadjustable gage, in such a manner that the gage can be set for types ofdifferent thickness, while the jaw adjusts itself to the varying widthor size ofditleren't types, and that by each stroke of the cutter onetype is cut oft and deposited in a receptacle that may be placed underthe cutter.

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I willproceed to dcscribe its construction and operation with ret'- erence tothe drawings.

On the platform A, and .near to one of its sides, is a channel, B, whichserves to feed the strips of type to the cutter C. The channel B isformed by the stationary strip a and a bar, Z, which is adjustable todifferent sizes of type. The cutter is secured in a reciproA eatinghead, D, which moves up and down in the dovetailed guides c, motionbeing imparted tc the same by means of a pitman, d, from thedriving-shalt Irl, or in any other convenient manner. The cutter may beirmly secured to the cutter-head, as shown in the drawings, and in thiscase it is set in an inclined position, the upper teeth being made tooverhang the lower ones to such a degree that one stroke of the head Dis sufficient to pass the cutter through the entire width of the strip.Instead ofsecuring the cutter firmly to the head, a rotary cutter mightbe used, which would produce the same eliect.

The thickness of the type is determined by a gage,F, which is adjustableby means of a set-screw, e, and a sliding jaw, G, grips the end ofthestrip 0f types while the cutting is performed. This jaw is connected bya link, f, to a lever, H, which is fnlcrated on a pivot, g, in astandard, 7a, under theplatform A, and to which an intermittentOscillating motion is imparted by a cam, I. A spring, i, forces thelower end of the lever H up against the surface of the cam, and this camis so shaped that thejaw G is allowed to recede at regular intervals,thereby releasing the types after they have been cut, so that they dropdown into a receptacle, which may be placed under the platform. Thiscani may be attached to the driving-shaft E, as shown in the drawings,or it may be connected to the cutter-head, or arranged in any otherconvenient vmanner, so as to produce the desired result.

By this machine a very large number of types can be cut oli` in a veryshort time, and after the machine has once been set to a certain sizetype it requires no extra attention of the` operator until it is desiredto change the machine for another size type, and it is very easy andsimple to adj ust the same to any type which it may be desired to cut.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The arrangement of the adjustable gage F and automaticjaw G, incombination with the reciprocating cutter C, constructed and operatingsubstantially in the manner and for the purpose specified.

JOHNJOS. CH. SMITH.

Witnesses:

LEWIS A. TUCKER, M. M. LIvINGsroN.

